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Among the many thousands of names we have now collected in the family archives, there are a number of individuals who stand out from the rest. One of these is undoubtedly Peter Linfield of Storrington. Born in 1734 in the parish of Nuthurst, Peter was the youngest son of William and Sarah Linfield, who were married at Itchingfield in 1724. His grandfather, Peter Linfield of Snow’s Farm in Nuthurst, was a successful yeoman farmer who died in 1715, leaving his estate to his eldest son, also Peter (1677-1756) who appears to have sold his inheritance some time before 1744. William Linfield, one of his five younger brothers, had to make do with the 40 shillings he received in his father’s will; nevertheless, it would appear he owned and farmed his own land because, with his brother Peter, he was qualified to vote in the General Election of 1734. Both of them travelled to Chichester to cast their vote, the qualification being the ownership of freehold lands or tenements whose annual net value was 40 shillings or more. Continue reading →